You Can Do the Luigi Death Stare in a Mercedes-Benz

Nintendo and Mercedes sitting in a tree… Well, it looks like the rumors were true. Mario Kart 8 is getting some DLC in the form of three Mercedes-Benz cars and wheels. The GLA, 300 SL Roadster, and the Silver Arrow will all be available via a free download to anyone who owns Mario Kart 8.

But they are not stopping there, as Nintendo is also making several updates to the game. You will soon have the option of adding the map to your TV screen, “next race” will replace “watch highlight reel” as the first option after a race, your most recent kart will now be saved, players can change options of other players’ MK TV highlight reels, a score screen will be added, and online play will be enhanced. All these updates are coming on August 27, 2014.

On top of all this, a Virtual Console version of Super Mario Kart is available today. You can get it on the Wii U eShop for $7.99. So, if you want to go back and see where the series got its start, download this SNES classic today.

More info is available in the official press release (below the screenshots).

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– For the first time ever, Nintendo’s Mario Kart franchise will be powered by some real-world horsepower. An Aug. 27 game update to Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U console will deliver a variety of new features for players, including the ability in-game to download three free Mercedes-Benz cars that players can race: the modern Mercedes-Benz GLA, the 300 SL Roadster from the 1950s and the legendary Silver Arrow of the 1930s.

The GLA model comes with special wheel options, while players can customize all three new karts with various wheels and gliders in the game. The new content arrives on the 22nd anniversary of the launch of the original Mario Kart game, Super Mario Kart, which first launched in Japan on Aug. 27, 1992. To further celebrate the upcoming anniversary, Super Mario Kart launches today for $7.99 in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U. Players can now experience where the series got its start.

Between Aug. 27 and Sept. 23, Nintendo and Mercedes-Benz will also host an online worldwide “Mercedes Cup” tournament. All competitors need is a Wii U console, Mario Kart 8 game, a broadband Internet connection and the Mercedes-Benz karts. Access to the “Mercedes Cup” in the game can be found in the online tournament section.

The Mario Kart 8 game update will also add a variety of new features designed to enhance the racing experience for everyone. These include:

Drivers will now have the option to display the course map on the TV screen during races.

The order of the menu after each race will be changed to “Next Race”, followed by “Watch Highlight Reel”.

The game will remember the most recent kart options that were selected, even if the Wii U system was powered down.

Users will be able to change options of other players’ Mario Kart TV downloaded highlight reels, such as changing the focus to different characters or actions.

A score screen will be added so players can see how many coins they’ve collected, the win-loss record of their online battles and their frequently used characters.

Improved the stability of the online connection to enhance user experience during online battles.

Steve is a Senior Editor for NintendoFuse. He has been a Nintendo fan since the NES and Game Boy. His favorite types of games are action platformers, multiplayer “party” games, and any game that is pure fun and pulls him in for hours. Steve has been blogging for NintendoFuse since 2008.